The Boston Red Sox just took a gut punch, dropping two of three games against the Los Angeles Angels right there at Fenway, including a 6-4 loss in the series rubber match. Yeah, it stings a bit. They haven’t exactly been on fire this September, but listen up: there’s absolutely no need for a full-blown panic attack. Why? Because even with the loss to a supposedly “lowly” Angels squad, their American League playoff spot magic number just tumbled straight down to nine! Seriously, we got a huge assist from an AL East rival. This team is gonna be whole again soon, and that number is falling fast. Don’t you dare freak out.
Homerun Havoc Nearly Blew It All Up
Wednesday night’s defeat was a tough pill to swallow, largely because of one brutal fact: the long ball absolutely torched them. Our lefty, Jake Bennett, had a truly nightmare third inning, giving up a staggering five runs! The Angels’ Zach Neto, who was already on a tear with four hits on Tuesday night, smashed a three-run blast that just hung in the air. And before we could even catch our breath, Jose Siri decided to join the party with a two-run shot of his own. That was the game right there. The Angels even tacked on another run in the fourth inning and never bothered to glance back. Angels pitcher Ryan Johnson threw another solid game, though to their credit, the Red Sox did finally break his insane six-start streak of allowing two runs or fewer, getting three earned runs off him. But man, those early homers were just brutal.
The Fight, The Future, and That Sweet Magic Number Drop
Despite the early struggles, Boston actually showed some real grit, battling back to put up four runs as the game wore on. Roman Anthony and Wilyer Abreu were absolute monsters, both launching homers well over 400 feet. That’s the kind of power that keeps you believing, even when things look bleak. The best news, though, is all about getting healthy. Willson Contreras is eyeing a return as early as this weekend after hitting a Friday rehab assignment with Double-A Portland. And Ceddanne Rafaela? He’s tracking right along after his retroactive injured list designation. The whole September mantra has been “get the lineup healthy for the postseason,” and it looks like it’s happening. The cherry on top? That magic number, which would have stayed stubbornly at 10, got some help. The Blue Jays, believe it or not, lost 2-0 to the Athletics on Wednesday. That Toronto defeat slashed Boston’s magic number to a fantastic nine, with only 15 games left on the schedule.
So, yeah, we took a punch. But the Red Sox are still firmly on course for that American League playoff spot. With just 15 games left, and key players like Contreras and Rafaela nearing their return, the focus is clear: keep grinding, get everyone back on the field, and watch that magic number hit zero. It’s time to lock this thing down and get ready for October.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
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